Participating Universities
Durham University
Durham University is a globally recognised research-intensive institution with a strong commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal impact.
The university has been part of the WE Innovate National consortium since 2025 and is [INFO ON THIS YEAR]
Through its Venture Lab, Durham supports students, graduates, and researchers in developing and scaling new ventures that address real-world challenges, including those linked to climate and sustainability.
The university combines academic excellence with practical enterprise support, offering structured programmes, mentorship, and access to funding. Its strengths span energy systems, environmental science, sustainable business, and advanced materials.
Durham Venture Lab plays a key role in translating ideas into viable ventures, with a focus on early-stage innovation and capability development, developing a pipeline of high-growth ventures. Its programmes, including summer fellowships and venture-building support, equipping founders with the skills, networks, and confidence to progress from concept to launch.
Established partnerships
Durham University is embedded within a strong regional and national innovation ecosystem, with partnerships spanning academia, industry, and the public sector.
The university is a member of the N8 Research Partnership, a collaboration of leading research-intensive universities in the North of England, supporting large-scale innovation and knowledge exchange. It also works closely with regional stakeholders including local authorities, innovation agencies, and business networks across the North East.
Durham Venture Lab connects founders to a wide network of mentors, alumni entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts. These relationships support venture development across sectors, including climate tech, through access to specialist knowledge, pilot opportunities, and early-stage investment pathways.
The university also collaborates with organisations focused on enterprise and innovation, including accelerators, funding bodies, and ecosystem builders, ensuring that ventures benefit from a joined-up support system beyond the university environment.
Innovation ecosystem
Durham sits within the North East of England, a region with a growing focus on clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable innovation. The ecosystem includes innovation hubs, university-led enterprise programmes, and regional growth initiatives supporting startups and scaleups.
Durham Venture Lab is a central part of this ecosystem, offering structured venture-building programmes, funding opportunities, and access to networks. It complements regional support from organisations such as innovation centres, local enterprise partnerships, and sector-focused clusters, helping founders move from idea to early traction.
Regional specialisms
The North East has strong capabilities in:
- Clean energy
- Offshore wind
- Hydrogen
- Net zero innovation
- Sustainable manufacturing
Durham contributes to these areas through research in energy systems, environmental science, and sustainable business, alongside venture support that encourages the commercialisation of climate-focused ideas.
This creates a pipeline of ventures addressing challenges such as decarbonisation, resource efficiency, and environmental resilience.
A national network
Explore WE Innovate National's partners, chosen for a combination of proven entrepreneurial infrastructure, research intensity, and geographic reach, ensuring every one of the UK's four nations has a founder-facing hub.
Imperial College London
WE Innovate was launched by Imperial College London in 2014 and has supported over 500 women-led teams since its inception.
Swansea University
A research‑led, world‑class institution committed to developing transformative ideas and supporting entrepreneurial talent.
Durham University
A globally recognised research-intensive institution with a strong commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal impact.
Loughborough University
A dynamic innovation ecosystem that sparks student curiosity, develops world-changing research breakthroughs, and works with graduates, staff and partners to support start-ups.
Queen's University Belfast
One of the UK’s leading research-intensive institutions, with over 99% of its research environment rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
University of Glasgow
Innovation and entrepreneurship are at the heart of its strategy, translating world-class research into economic and societal impact.
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